Sex, Lies, and the Internet
The internet is the hottest thing right now. For many people, the internet is what they check into the first thing in the morning and the last thing they check on before going to bed. It has replaced the TV as the constant companion. There are no strings when youre talking to just a bunch of electrons. If you dont want to interact with that person on Facebook, you can delete that person. If that person offends you in the slightest way or you become tired of talking to that person, you can click X to close the chatbox. The ease, the accessibility, the furtive nature of the internet lured two every day people into an internet romance which eventually led to a shocking and tragic murder. It will send chills down your spine and continue to haunt you for weeks afterwards.
Talhotblond, a movie, is the true story of an internet romance gone awry. Talhotblond was exactly that: Tall, hot, and blond. She has the face of an angel and the body of a Greek goddess. She is 18 and is a softballplaying high school senior from West Virginia. Her counterpart is Tom Montgomery. His chat ID is Marinesniper. Tom is a man 46-year old balding machinist living in Buffalo, NY. His life is going nowhere and his marriage is on the rocks. He is also having ongoing problems with impotency. He was a marine for a short time, but he never saw combat, and while he qualified as a sharpshooter, he never qualified as a sniper. They start chatting in one of those little chat boxes on POGO, a popular online gaming site. After she had sent Tom some very provocative photos of herself, eventually, Jessi wants to know what Montgomery looks like. He describes himself as being 6 feet tall, with bright red hair and big shoulders"; and subsequently sends her a photo of him when he was about 18 in his marine uniform. It is a striking picture and it pleases Jessi very much.
Their secret online romance continues and sizzles into the wee hours of the morning. And like most relationships, their romance has their ups and downs. Their online romance turns serpentine, perilous when angelic Jessi discloses herself as a vixen and an attention whore. During one of their lows, Jessi decides to start an online relationship with Brian Barett (screenname: Beefcake). Complicating matters was the fact that he is a real-life co-worker to Tom. Suddenly their once lovely linear relationship becomes a tumultuous triangle. And thats when things become treacherous and eventually murderous.
The tragic tale of Talhotblond and Marinesniper is told by Tom Montgomery and the voice of Jessi. It is a spare movie. Many times youre only looking at the IM texts between Marine Sniper and Talhotblond. The relatively simple production value is in stark contrast to the complicated entangled web that is woven between Tommy, Jessi, and Brian.
For a society with a taste for the prurient and a predilection for the fast and easy, its completely understandable how people can be lured into spending time on a spicy name and a coquettish avatar. Anyone who has had any experience with social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter, or has chatted with anyone will realize that the internet significantly lowers peoples inhibitions. What people might hesitate to say in real life whether on the phone or face-to-face, is less of an issue on the internet. You cant see the approval, the disapproval, the smile, the laugh, the sneer, the glare of others. No one can judge you. So it comes as no surprise that after sending several photos of herself fully clothed, but in some suggestive poses, that Jess and Tommy quickly embark upon a steamy, tumultuous affair all online.
This movie, while only 1 hr and 15 minutes, makes a statement with a huge exclamation point. There is a rush of excitement talking to someone youve never met before. Perhaps even more of a rush because youre not even really sure of what they truly look like. Its happening to fast. Words are spilling out into the chatbox and pretty soon youre admitting to things that most people dont even say until you know that person for at least a year. The barriers of social etiquette seem much more relaxed when youre online. Youre more likely to resort to emotions and use foul language. Somehow youre less modest on the internet. Soon thereafter, youre professing love to someone you never even physically met before.
The internet is a wonderful invention. Like fire, it can be something that can be helpful and keep you warm, but it can also hurt you in a terrible way if you dont use it properly. This true crime documentary entertains, but leaves you wondering whether that time on the internet is truly well spent. Just be careful and think because everybody lies on-line.
One of the best documentaries in recent history and timely as well. Dont spoil it for yourself by looking up the story. Rent it or get it from Netflix. You wont be disappointed!
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